Monday night's debate made it clear: We are dealing with two corrupt candidates. Neither one brings virtue to the table. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, however, represent a very clear delineation on policy and issue.

For the first time in many years, voters have the opportunity to vote for someone who best represents how they feel. In addressing the policies and issues, let's review:

AMERICA'S PROSPERITY

•The fulcrum of the standard of living in America is jobs. Donald Trump's approach is to incentive companies to remain in America, minimize the cost of repatriating profits made abroad, reduce corporate income taxes, and reduce and flatten individual income taxes.

•Hillary Clinton's approach is to raise the minimum wage, increase family benefits, guarantee free college education, and pay for it by increasing income taxes on "the rich" so that the wealthy "pay for their fair share."

•Economic prosperity is driven by what Adam Smith, several centuries ago, called the "invisible hand of the economy." It is impractical and foolhardy to attempt to subdue self-interest with ideology. Trump focuses on the pragmatics of the market, whether it is employment or trade; Clinton spouts political euphemisms.

Win to Trump.

A new CNN/ORC poll after the first presidential debate found 62 percent of voters who watched thought Hillary Clinton won, while only 27 percent thought Trump emerged victorious. Dr. Stephen Caliendo, a political scientist at North Central College, explains why.

A new CNN/ORC poll after the first presidential debate found 62 percent of voters who watched thought Hillary Clinton won, while only 27 percent thought Trump emerged victorious. Dr. Stephen Caliendo, a political scientist at North Central College, explains why.

•The fulcrum of racial relations in America is to equalize racial equality. Trump's approach is to recognize that prior political correctness has been ineffective at improving the status of racial minorities in this country — particularly African Americans. And, at the end of the day, according to Trump, this country needs to have a concerted re-commitment to "law and order," not irrational in light of the track record of minority violence during the tenure of America's first African-American president.

•Clinton's approach is a political one but nonetheless an effective one. Most effective, of course, was the birther issue: Not so much because it was a racial issue as much as it has become a credibility issue. As a result, Trump's credibility was severely damaged and, as a result, his larger position on race was impugned.

•The typical political dribble on what is needed to right the relations between and among the races is hardly effective. Clinton simply promotes that dribble. Nonetheless, Trump is hardly the standard bearer when it comes to race relations in this country, and his track record as a businessperson and his tone-deaf approach to minorities don't help.

Win to Clinton.

AMERICA'S SECURITY

•The fulcrum of securing America is dissipating global threats while still foreign. Trump's approach, unlike Teddy Roosevelt's, is to carry a big stick (even wield it once in a while), but speak loudly in the process.

•Clinton's is to respect international law and convention, and to justify the reasons why we are where we are.

•Although there is no question that Clinton understands international relations far more than Trump ever could, the question is where that has gotten us. ISIS is an international menace, terrorism invades our domestic newspapers almost daily, and the photos of inflicted human carnage have gone from international venues to Orlando and other American cities almost every other day.

Draw for Trump and Clinton.

THE CANDIDATES' TONE

While Trump was relatively controlled, certainly in relationship to his forays during the GOP primary debates, he was still Messerschmitt damaging. As a glib and fearsome dogfighter, he made it difficult for Clinton to land any major body blows.

On the contrary, Clinton was controlled and in character; so much so that her entitled arrogance, condescending smiles and stiff upper lip dissipated her passion. While she was unable to land debilitating right hooks, she was still effective at her destabilizing defensive and offensive jabs.

Draw for Trump and Clinton.

FREE RADICALS

Several issues represent the free radicals in this race:

•No disclosure of Trump's tax returns: Clinton

•Stiffing of Trump's vendors: Clinton

• "Trumped-up – Trickle-down" economics: Clinton

• "It's all words – it's all sound bites": Trump

• "All talk – no action; it doesn't work": Trump

THE FINAL SCORE

Some in the media boast a Clinton win. Maybe that's a possibility. But while Trump was not "presidential," he was clear in his mission. So was Clinton. And that's what will ultimately determine the race.

Integrity is out of the discussion. Character is out of the discussion. But where we've been and where we want to go are not. Trump and Clinton have two diametrically opposite ways to get there.

Neither candidate won the day. But Clinton did manage to stop Trump's escalating momentum: She won an opportunity for her to live to the next debate.

Calculating the score as of today, with all four contenders? 45 percent Clinton; 43 percent Trump. Bring on the next debate.

Larry Pino attended Notre Dame on a debate scholarship, coached the freshman debate team there as a junior/senior there, and then ended up coaching the New York University debate team for three years when he was at NYU Law School.